1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a jumper assembly used in conjunction with two circuit breakers, more specifically to a jumper assembly where the power lines and bus assemblies having different phases are isolated from each other.
2. Background Information
A jumper assembly is a device for dividing a current from a power line so that the current may be directed to two or more circuit breakers. The jumper assembly includes a non-conductive housing and two conductive buses. The current is divided by coupling the power line to a single input point, typically a collar assembly, on a bus having two or more output terminals. The output terminals are then coupled to two different circuits, each of which has its own circuit breaker. The circuit breakers on the different circuits typically have different ratings. At typical jumper assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,384.
As shown in FIG. 1, which is the same as FIG. 9 in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,384, the prior art jumper included a first bus bar, a second bus bar and a non-conductive housing. Each bus bar had a collar that is structured to be coupled to a power line. Each bus bar has multiple output terminals. The bus bars are not isolated from each other. That is, as shown on FIG. 6 of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,384, both bus bars are exposed to the interior of the housing. When power lines are coupled to the bus bars as shown on FIG. 9 of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,384, great care must be taken to ensure that the insulation on the power line coupled to the upper bus bar is intact as this power line lies directly over top of the lower bus bar. It would be better to have a jumper assembly where the bus assemblies are isolated from each other to reduce the risk of creating a short between a power line and a non-associated bus.
There is, therefore, a need for a jumper assembly having separate raceways for each power line.
There is a further need for a assembly having separate raceways for each bus assembly.
These needs, and others, are satisfied by the invention which provides a jumper assembly that includes a housing assembly and at least to bus assemblies. The housing assembly has a planar member and a plurality of upper and lower side walls extending generally perpendicular from opposite sides of the planar member. The housing assembly planar member has an upper side and a lower side with one or more openings passing therethrough. The at least two or more bus assemblies each have a planar bus member and one or more collar assemblies coupled to each planar bus members. The upper side walls form two or more separate upper raceways. The lower side walls form two or more lower raceways. The bus planar members are disposed in the lower raceways. The collars disposed in the upper raceways and coupled to the bus planar members through the housing assembly planar member openings. Thus, a first power line may pass through a first upper raceway to be coupled to a first collar assembly attached to a first bus assembly; and a second power line may pass through a second upper raceway to be coupled to a second collar assembly attached to a second bus assembly. Therefore the first and second power lines are isolated from each other. Additionally, the lower raceways are separate from each other, thus, the bus assemblies are also isolated from each other.